Lubricator applicator for car wheels



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Aug. 11, 1953 Filed April 5, 1951 D. A. KELLY v LUBRICATOR APPLICATORFOR CAR WHEELS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR DANIEL A.KELLY AT TORNEYS 1953DJA. KELLY 2,648,399

LUBRICATOR APPLICATOR FOR CAR WHEELS Filed April 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR DANIEL A. KELLY ATTQBNEYS Patented Aug. 11, 1953 UNITEDSTATES PATEN T OFFICE LUBRICATOR APPLICATOR FOR CAR WHEELS Daniel A.Kelly, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to The Prime Manufacturing Company,Milwaukee,

Wis., a corporation 8 Claims.

This invention appertains to the oiling or lubricating of the fianges ofwheels for locomotives, and other railroad rolling stock.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide anovel pad or brush assembly for wiping contact with the flange of a carwheel for effectively supplying a thin film of oil thereto, which willhave long life and thus eliminate the necessity of frequentreplacements.

Another salient object of the invention is to provide means for pressuresealing the novel pad or brush against the flange of the car wheel, soas to prevent dripping of oil on the tread of the wheel, but at the sametime permit the wiping of the desired film of oil on the flange as longas the locomotive or car is in motion.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a novelmounting for the brush or pad, so that the brush or pad is free to moveup and down and laterally with the wheel and at the same time remainsealed in wiping contact with the wheel flange.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel mountingfor the wiping brush or pad which will permit the initial adjustment ofthe pad relative to the wheel according to different truck framecharacteristics and thereafter permit the desired movement of the brushor pad with the up and down, and lateral motion'of the wheel.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will behereinafter more specifically described and claimed, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which drawings,

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the novelapplicator in operative position relative to a carwheel.

Figure 2 is a top plan view looking down on the applicator and showingthe same in position relative to a car wheel.

Figure 3 is a detail vertical sectional View taken on the line 3-3 ofFigure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the novelbracket mounting for the applicator brush or pad.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line 4'4 of Figure5, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the mounting of thepad or brush on its supporting swivel.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure1, looking in the direction of the arrows, the view being on a greaterscale than Figures 1 to 4, and illustrating the novel support for thepad or brush.

ent, Serial No. 219,369, filed April 5, 1951.

Figure .6 is a substantially horizontal sectional View, through the pador brush, taken on the line 6-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction ofthe arrows, the figure being on the same scale as Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several .views,the letter T generally indicates 'a fragment of .a car or locomotivetruck, and the same includes a frame Land a wheel H. The wheel H, is ofthe type now commonly used in railroading and embodies the tread l2 andthe flange l3. .Associated with the truck T is the novel device D forapplying thin films of oil continuously to the flange l3- of the carwheel, as long as the'car or locomotive is in motion. The novel deviceincludes a supporting bracket [4 of a substantially U-shape and thisbracket is welded as at [5, to

the truck'frame 10, adjacent to a wheel I l, which is to be lubricated.The U-shaped bracket includes spaced, parallel side plates l6 havingtransversely aligned bearing openings ll therein for the reception of asupporting and adjusting ball l8. This ball 13 is provided with aninternally threaded diametrically extending bore l9 and at spaced pointswith socket openings 29 for the reception of a tool, to facilitate theturning of the ball, for a purpose which will :be later brought out. Theball is threaded on a hollow shaft 2| and by turning the ball 18, thehollow shaft 2i can be moved back and forth, for apurpose-whidhwilllater appear. The connection of the ball and bracketforms in effect a universal joint. One end of the hollow shaft hasconnected therewith a feed hose 22, which supplies lubricant underpressure to the hollow shaft ZI. The means for feeding the lubricant tothe hollow shaft forms a separate invention, and is the subject matterof my copending application for pat- The end of the shaftZi from-thefeed hose 22 has connected therewith an elbow fitting 23, and thisfitting in turn carries a pipe or tube 2 for delivering oil to a swivelbrush head or applicator 25. Above the ball is, the side plates 18 ofthe U-shaped bracket [4 are connected bya cross bolt '25, and byadjusting'this bolt, the side plates [6 can be drawn into-grippingcontact with the ball,

for a purpose, whichwill also later appear. It is to be noted that theopenings ll are of a larger diameter than the diameter of the hollowshaft 2 I.

Now referring to the swivel brush head 25, it is to be noted that thesame includes a frame plate or holder 2-1, to which is secured by rivets28, the oil applying pad 29, which is formed from absorbent material,namely, felt or some similar material. The frame plate 21 also hasrigidly secured thereto end steel frame bars 30, which engage theopposite edges of the felt pad 29 to confine the pad in place. The frameplate 21 also includes an upper wall 3|, which extends over the top edgeof the pad and the upper ends of the frame bars 30. The upper edge ofthe pad at its central portion is cut away as at 32, and the frame plate21 has struck out therefrom an oil delivery channel 33. Rigidly securedto the top wall 3| and projecting laterally therefrom is a channelshaped arm 34. The wall 3|, directly above the cut out portion 32 of thepad 29, has an opening therein in which is loosely fitted the roundedlower terminal of a feed neck 35 formed on a supporting block 36. Thisblock 36 is provided with a horizontal way 31, one end of which isclosed by a plug 38, and the other end of which receives the oildelivery pipe or tube 24. Also communicating with the way 31 is asubstantially vertically extending passageway 39, and communicating withthis passageway 39 is a reduced feed nipple 40 carried by the neck 35.This feed nipple 40 extends loosely through the top wall 3| of the frameplate 21, and into the cut away portion 32 of the pad 29. A washer 4| isplaced on the nipple 49 against the inner surface of the top wall 3| andis retained in place by a cross pin 42. By this construction, the frameplate 21 and the pad 29 are mounted on the nipple 40 and the neck 35 forrocking movement. The block 36, has secured thereto a leaf spring 43 andthe outer end of the spring carries a bearing button 44, which engagesagainst the laterally extending arm 34.

In use of the applicator, the bracket I4 is located on the frame l atthe desired point relative to the car wheel II, and is welded in place,as stated, and the various parts are assembled, as just described. It isnot necessary to accurately locate the bracket l4 during welding, as theassembly can be adjusted on the bracket to properly position theapplicator 25 relative to the flange of the car wheel. The brush head orapplicator 25 can be moved laterally back and forth by turning the balll8, which will adjust the threaded shaft 2| in the bracket. It isessential, that the feed tube and the entire assembly be at right anglesto the flange of the car wheel and the ball I8 is turned in the bracketuntil this is brought about. After the brush or applicator head 25 iscorrectly positioned, then the bolt 26 is adjusted for clamping the ballin place. The shaft 2| is still free to rock in the ball l8, andconsequently, the applicator or brush head 25 and its feed pipe or tube24 can swing up and down on the bracket l4, so that the brush head orapplicator can follow the up and down movement of the car wheel. Theadjustment of the device is such, that the pad 29 will bear against theinner face of the car Wheel flange l3, and the spring 43, bearingagainst the arm 34 will normally urge the pad into intimate contact withthe flange, as shown in Figure 5. Any lateral motion of the car wheelwill not disturb the pad, in that the pad can rock back and forth to alimited extent on the neck 35 and the nipple 40. In Figure 5, the padand its frame plate is shown, as just applied to the wheel, and afterthe pad is in use the same will wear down and conform to the curvatureof the flange of the wheel and snugly engage the throat thereof, andwill retain the oil close to the '4 flange and prevent dripping of theoil on the tread of the wheel. The pad engages the flange in such amanner that a thin film of oil is wiped on the flange during rotation ofthe wheel. As the pad and its frame plate wear, the feed pipe 24 willmerely lower to compensate for this wear and the pad will still be heldin intimate contact with the wheel.

Great stress is laid on the fact that the pad 29 is formed from felt orsimilar absorbent material, in that the pad will give off only theamount of oil that is fed into it above its absorbent capacity, andthere will be no free oil in transit over the surface of the applicatorwhen the feed oil has been shut off. If the pad 29 was made completelyof steel or some other hard surface, the oil would be dropped onto itfrom the feed pipe at the top and would run down to the flange of thewheel. Hence, it is probable that upon the shutting off of the deliveryof oil, the oil in transit in the feed pipe would flow over the surfaceof the applicator and then by gravity to the flange. With the pad formedfrom absorbent material, when the locomotive stops the oil delivery tothe applicator the free oil is held within the absorbent material.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or thescope of this invention, but what is claimed as new is:

1. In a flange oiler for car wheels, an oil applicator for wipingengagement with the wearing face of the flange of a car wheel includinga pad, a bracket adapted to be secured to the frame of a car truckadjacent to the wheel to be oiled, a shaft rockably mounted in thebracket transversely of the car wheel to be lubricated, an oilconducting tube carried by the shaft for movement therewith extendingtoward and over a car wheel, means connecting the pad to the tube formovement therewith and for receiving oil therefrom, and means betweenthe tube and pad for resiliently urging the pad into facial engagementwith the flange of a car wheel.

2. A flange oiler as defined in claim 1, said bracket being of a U-shapeand including side plates, a ball received by the said plates, saidshaft being adjustable in said ball transversely of the bracket, andmeans for clamping the ball between the plates to hold the ball and theshe at a desired angle.

3. In a flange oiler for car wheels, as defined in claim 1, a frameplate receiving the pad having a top wall engaging the upper edge of thepad, said upper edge of the pad being provided with a cavity, and anipple communicating with the oil conducting tube extending through saidtop wall and into the cavity.

4. In a flange oiler for car wheels, an oil applicator including a frameplate having a top wall, a pad for wiping contact with the flange of awheel secured to the frame plate, an oil conducting tube rockablymounted on a part of the frame of a railroad car truck adjacent to thewheel flange to be oiled, a block carried by said tube having a waycommunicating with the tube, a depending neck on said blockcommunicating with the way, said neck being fitted against the top wallof the frame plate, a feed nipple extending into and communicating withthe neck and loosely mounted in an opening in the top wall, a laterallyextending arm secured to the top wall proecting away from the pad, and aspring carried by said block engaging the arm for normally moving theframe plate on the nipple with the pad toward the flange of the carwheel.

5. In a flange oiler for car wheels as defined. in claim 4, and said padhaving a cavity receiving the nipple.

6. In a flange oiler for car wheels as defined in claim 4, said padhaving a cavity receiving the nipple, and said frame plat having a feedchannel extending down from the cavity over one face of the pad,

7. In a flange oiler for car wheels, an oil applicator for wipingengagement with the wearing face of the flange of a car Wheel includinga supporting bracket adapted to be secured to the frame of a caradjacent to the car wheel to be oiled, a shaft, a universal jointconnection between the shaft and bracket, an oil conducting tube carriedby the shaft and extending toward and over the car wheel, means forsupplying oil to the tube, and an applicator pad carried by the tube forreceiving oil therefrom, said shaft, tube and pad being bodilyadjustable as a unit on the 20 bracket through said universal jointconnection to initially adjust the pad relative to the flange of thewheel and at right angles thereto, and cooperative clamping means on theshaft and bracket including the universal joint connection for holdingthe shaft, tube and pad in said initial adjusted position, said shaftbeing freely rockable in the universal joint at all times.

8. A flange oiler for car wheels as defined in claim '7, and meansnormally urging the pad into sealing contact with the flange of a carwheel.

DANIEL A. KELLY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 887,680 Martin May 12, 1908 1,152,593 Black Sept. 7, 19151,782,133 Childs Nov. 18, 1930

